[fund] co-optation by politico-religious and/or conservative forces

After being finalised and presented by the 105 Members of the European Convention on 10 July 2003, the draft EU Constitution is now in the hands of the EU Council of Ministers - including representatives of the future EU Member States.

Fearful for their safety and unnerved by last weekend's attack on a high-ranking female official, Iraqi women activists are retreating from the public sphere and choosing to keep their work low-profile.

The United States Marine colonel supervising the reconstruction of this Shiite holy city's government indefinitely postponed the swearing in of its first-ever female judge after her appointment provoked a wave of resentment.